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Fighting Mother Nature

This one time I thought I would try and make less work for myself by carrying as much groceries as I could

This one time I thought I would try and make less work for myself by carrying as much groceries as I could from the van into the house. Except once I got to the door, my new bottle of sweet Thai chili sauce slipped out of my hands and shattered onto the welcome mat.

I remember standing there thinking, “Well, that back fired.” Now I had even more work to add to my day.

I think the recent weather we’ve had in Houston had felt exactly like this.

Seeing the staff of the District of Houston log in extra hours to clear our roads has been most pleasing. But I imagine it has been challenging for them to keep up with it due to the changes in road conditions from slushy snow to freezing ice in over a night.

Though the roads have been cleared, I’ve heard complaints that because the sidewalks are frozen over, the side of the road has become more safer for people to walk on, especially for seniors with walkers.

I understand the concerns of the public, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. Especially with the build up this weather has caused,additional work keeps getting added onto the plate of the public works employees.

Pot holes are turning into the Mariana Trench. Culverts and basins are so blocked up that those high snow barricades on the sidewalks can not filter through. And the fluctuation in temperature creates a “play by ear” priority game plan, where theDistrict of Houston probably has to assess what issues are a priority to address first based on the weather and road conditions of the day.

I agree that the sidewalks are a concern for safety, but as someone that walks to work every day, I’ve noticed that the drivers in the community are more cautious because they are aware that pedestrians face this issue.

Businesses too are taking extra care of their front entrances to ensure public safety. This week I witnessed an employee at theHouston Leisure Facility take two days to chip off the built up ice on the sidewalk wheelchair access to the building.

Patience is a virtue and the weather is governed by fate. There is only so much we have control over. Our ability to look at the larger picture and demonstrate understanding is one of them.